29 January

--8th Grade Math--------
Practice Test: 331: 1-36
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--7th Grade Math--------
306: 1-45 (Every 3rd Problem), 58-63
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28 January

--8th Grade Math--------
316-317: 1-28 (every 3rd problem), 30,31, 35-40
Chapter 6 EXAM Tuesday
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--7th Grade Math--------
303:1-32
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27 Jan

--8th Grade Math--------
312: 1-30 (every 3rd problem), 36-38, 42-48
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--7th Grade Math--------
EXAM TOMORROW
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--8th Grade English-----------------------
In, The Sunflower, a dying SS soldier asks for forgiveness from a Jewish prisoner. The prisoner turns his back and walks away. Your assignment for tonight is to answer one question: What would you have done if you were in the position of the Jewish prisoner?

Min: 1/2 pages
Max: 3 pages
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26 January

--7th Grade Math--------
299: 1-20
SHOW ALL WORK
HAND IN WEDNESDAY

CHAPTER 5 EXAM THURSDAY

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--7th Grade English--------
388: Reading Check
Questions 1-4
Complete Sentences

Cinderella Story (2 pages)

Read 390-391 (be ready for a quiz Wednesday)
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25 Jan

--8th Grade English-------- DUE WEDNESDAY
Reading Check and Questions 1-8 (p. 395)
**Write all answers as complete sentences
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--8th Grade Math--------
305: 1-9, 25-29, 32-40, 42-47
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--7th Grade Math--------
**RETURN SIGNED QUIZES TUESDAY**
====Chapter 5 EXAM Thursday======
290:1-23
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FRIDAY!!! 22 January

--8th Grade Math--------
302: 5-13; 30-41; 45-50
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--7th Grade Math-------------
286: 1-10; 14-22
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21 Jan 2010

--7th Grade Math--------
QUIZ Tomorrow
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--8th Grade Math--------
QUIZ Tomorrow
---------------------------

--7th Grade English--------
Analyzing an Author's Perspective
pg. 364-367

1. According to the author why do some people change their names?
2. What is the writer's perspective on changing names?
3. What does the Greek word pseudo mean?
4. What is Lewis Carroll's real name?
5. Answer the four multiple choice questions on pg. 367.
6. Answer the four constructed response questions on pg. 367 in complete sentences.
7. The Burditt piece was written from which point of view?

**Read "Bargain" starting on page 369

Answer questions 1 and 2 (380) in complete sentences.
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20 Jan

--8th Grade Math------------
302: 1-4, 14-29, 42-44, 61, 62, 63
-------------------------------

7th Grade Math--------------
282-283: 1-16, 20-26
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19 Jan

--8th Grade English--------
Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Bring a copy of your information source. One sentence per answer.

Who was Anne Frank?
When was Anne Frank born
Where was Anne Frank born?
When did she die?
Where did she die?
Why did she die?

One of the themes from the story we read in class today was that the master of your body does not have to be the master of your mind. Please keep this theme in mind as we begin to examine the life of of Anne Frank.

**Extra Credit**
Check out this song and video by Tom Waits. It's called "Come on Up to the House." See if you can relate it to The People Could Fly, the story we read in class today.



--8th Grade Math--------------
298: 1-3, 5-18, 30
---------------------------------

--7th Grade Math-------------
4-7 WKST
Show ALL work, seperate paper
Staple, WKST on top
--------------------------------

--7th Grade English--------
Read: "After Twenty Years
Answer Reading Check Questions (a-e, pg. 362)
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18 JAN 2010

--8th Grade English--------DUE TUESDAY
Today we discussed the difference between summary and and theme. A summary decribes what happened. The theme of a story answers this question: what did I learn that is true, or that the author believes is true?

READ 258-262 "The People Could Fly"
Answer the following questions:

1. Provide a summary for the story. (4-5 sentences)
2. What is the theme of the story?
3. Explain how the Somebody Wanted But So technique can be used to make a summary.
4. Answer PRACTICE 2 on page 363. (1-5)
---------------------------------

----8th Grade Math--------
291-293: 1-28; 35-45
----------------------------

----7th Grade Math--------
274: 1,2,6,7,12-19,28-68
-----------------------------

----7th Grade English--------DUE TUESDAY
Read: "Canines to the Rescue"
Carefully follow the directions on page 355. Complete the Perspecitve Wheel. Write a paragraph that describes Jonah Goldberg's perspective.
------------------------------------

14 JAN 2010

--7th Grade Math--------
No Assignment
QUIZ Friday
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--8th Grade Math--------
286: 10-17; 18-29; 67-73
QUIZ Friday
--------------------------

Here's the best choir in the world doing something pretty awesome. Enjoy!

**Extra Credit**
Let the rest of the class know how you feel about this performance. You'll get very little extra credit for something like this: "It's really cool!" or "Neat-O!" You'll get more if you do some research and write a thoughtful comment. No points for bad grammar.

13 January 2010

--8th Grade Math--------

282-283: 1-16

--------------------------



--7th Grade Math--------

270: 16-27; 36-42; 43-50

--------------------------



Vocabulary from the Smithsonian article on Philippe Petit:

clandestinely
void
ghastly
eccentrics
morosely
impassive
mute
prestigitation
perceptible
vagabondage
meticulous
omnipresent

**BONUS EXTRA CREDIT**
What does the author of the Smithsonian article think of Philippe Petit? Does he feel that Petit is basically a good guy? How does the author communicate this? Craft a thoughtful response to the questions and post it in the comments section of this post for big time extra credit.

You can access the article from the EBSCO database, here.
User ID: mazapan
Password: school

Search terms: Turing Point Rudolph Chelminski

Metaphor

We spoke today at length about metaphor in the context of Philippe Petit's walk between the Twin Towers. A metaphor is a literary device which uses one object or idea to define another. Metaphors can be a powerful way to describe or understand complex ideas. We discussed Petit's walk as a metaphor for the finer qualities of the human spirit.

This is an extended metaphor, something that we use to grapple with really big ideas. Simple metaphors we use all the time. Here are a few examples.

1. It's freezing here in La Ceiba. My arm is a popsicle.
2. Don't talk to her, she's looking for a fight. Her blood is boiling.
3. Love is every bright sunrise of you life happening at the same time.

...Here's a famous one:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have there exits and their entrances;

12 Jan 2010

Here is a link to the New York Times article about Philippe Petit. We read and discussed the article in class today.



-- 7th & 8th Grade English Homework -------------------------------

DUE: 13 JAN 2010


Answer the following questions re: the NYT Petit acticle using complete sentences and appropriate punctuation. Use a seperate sheet of paper for the answers and the vocabulary.


1. When was Petit born?
2. How old was he when he walked between the towers? How old is he now?
3. Why did Petit walk between the towers?
4. Where was he born?
5. Where was Petit taken after he was arrested?
6. What is Petit's dream?
7. Discuss Petit's walk as metaphor. What did it mean? Mention 9/11.


8. Find five vocabulary words in the article. Circle the words. Define them. Use each in a complete sentence.


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--8th Grade Math--------------------------------
280: 1-29; 43-49
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--7th Grade Math-------------------------------
266: 1-4; 13-16; 31-38; 40; 46-58
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The Man Who Walked Between the Towers: Phillipe Petit

Today I read the introductory chapter to Colum McCann's National Book Award winning novel Let the Great World Spin aloud to the class. The chapter captures a particular moment in time. On the morning of 7 August 1974, Philippe Petit, a French tightrope artist, walked between the twin towers of the newly constucted World Trade Center in New York City.

We will will be talking about Mr. Petit in class this week.